Beet topper



Jn. 24, 1939- o. J. HALLIBERG v 2y44379 BEET TOPPER nvenor HforneusPatented Jan. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT ortica 3 Claims.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in beet toppingmachines and more particularly to a combination beet digger and topper.

The principal object of the present invention is tc provide a machinewhich can be run along the ground for digging and elevating beets andsubsequently topping the same in one continuous operation.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a combinationmachine of the character stated which will reduce handling of the beetsto a minimum.

These and various other important objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent to the reader of the followingspecification.

In the drawings:

Figure l represents a side elevational View of the machine.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View of the machine.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the guide plate supportingbrackets.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of one of the rearrollers for the belt.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, itcan be seen in Figure l that numeral 5 represents the usual groundengaging element of the beet digger from which rises the conveyor belt 6having the cleats 'I thereon and which is trained over the upper andlower rolls 8 9. This conveyor is also provided with the side walls IUfrom which extends the draft means II and on which a drivers seat I2 canbe mounted.

The topping apparatus proper is generally referred to by the numeral I3and consists of the pair of rear wheels lli-I 4 and the forward wheelsI5-I5. The wheels I5 are attached to the forward axle I6 and a sprocketwheel I'I thereon drives the sprocket chain I8 which, in turn, drivesthe sprocket wheel on the shaft I9 carrying a gear 20 which, in turn,meshes with the pinion 2I on the shaft 22 of the upper roll 8. 'Ihus theconveyor 6 is driven by the forward axle I 6. A platform 22 is supportedby the axle I6 and rising from each end of this platform 22 are theL-shaped bracket sections 24 to which the inverted L-shaped bracketmembers 25 are connected by bolt and slot connections 26 (see Figure 4).The upper horizontal portions of the sections 25 are secured to theundersides of the guide boards 21--21 between the adjacent edges ofwhich the stems of beets are passable.

(Cl. 14S-85) Mounted upon the forward end of the platform 23 are therolls .E8- 28. These rolls are Xed while at the rear end Aof theplatform 23 are the rolls 23-29 supported by the mounting 33 which isprovided with a base portion 2| connected by bolts 32 passing throughthe slot 33 in the platform 23. Thus the rear rolls 29 can be movedtoward or away fromY each other to adjust the convergency of theinnerflights 34 of the belts S5-36 which are horizontally trained overforward and rearward rolls 28-29.

Thus the beets elevated by the conveyor 6 are grasped by the attendantand inserted top downwardly between the belts 35-36 so that the beetheads ride along above the boards 2'I-2'L The cutter disk is denoted bynumeral 35 and is mounted at the rear ends of the boards 21-21 in thepath of the oncoming beet tops 36. As the beets strike the cutting disk35', the tops are severed from the heads and the tops fall downwardlyfrom the machine while the heads are carried laterally and fall oif ontothe elevator 31 whereby the beet heads are elevated into a truck orother receptacle.

It can also be seen, that the axle 38 of the rear wheels id carries agear 39 meshing with the pinion iii on a shaft with the gear 4I which,in turn, meshes with the worm 152 on the spindle of the cutting disk35', the spindle passing through the upright post t3 mounted on the rearend of the platform 23.

Furthermore, the rear axle 38 is equipped with a beveled gear 44 meshingwith the beveled gear 45 on the shaft 46, the rear end of which isequipped with a sprocket over which a sprocket chain 4l is trained andengaged with a sprocket drive for the elevator 3l.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that while the foregoingspecification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to beunderstood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may beresorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A beet topper comprising a pair vof spaced conveyor belts arranged inedgewise vertical position for engaging and carrying beets by their topswith the heads thereof projecting above the conveyor, a pair of guideboards having their edges positioned in spaced relation above theconveyor, said boards supporting the heads of the beets in uprightposition and a cutter positioned horizontally above and adjacent theboards in the path of the beets at the discharge end of the conveyor.

2. A beet topper comprising a pair of spaced conveyor belts arranged inedgewise vertical position for engaging and carrying beets by their topsWith the heads thereof projecting above the conveyor, a pair of guideboards having their edges positioned in spaced relation above theconveyor, said boards supporting the heads of the beets in uprightposition, means for adjusting the boards relative to the conveyor and acutter positioned horizontally above and adjacent the boards in the pathof the beets at the discharge end of the conveyor.

3. A beet topper comprising a horizontally disposed conveyor forengaging and carrying beets by their tops with the heads thereofprojecting above the conveyor, said conveyor comprising front and rearpair of rollers, belts trained over the rollers having one ightpositioned in closely spaced relation with respect to the other, meansfor adjusting the rear rollers relative to each other to Vary the spacebetween the rear ends of the belts, a pair of guide boards having theiredges positioned in spaced relation above the conveyor, said boardssupporting the heads of the beets in upright position, means foradjusting the boards relative to the conveyor and a cutter positionedhorizontally above and adjacent the boards in the path of the beet atthe discharge end of the conveyor.

OSCAR J. HALLBERG.

